San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1887-08-08
MOURNING THE DEAD
A Large Number of Citizens Turn
out to Bury the Poor Babe Pro-
hibltiOn.


out to Bury the Poor Babe Pro-
hibltion.
Saturday WAS the night appointed for
the funeral Of prohibition, but owing TO
the inclement weather, many were in
doubt whether the celebration would be
held, and as rumor had gone abroad
that the ceremonial was postponed
many who would have taken part In 1t,
remained at home, yet a very large
crowd assembled at Liberty lot on
Houston street hoping the funeral
would take place and the streets on the
route OF the procession were lined with
anxious spectators.
The rendezvous was at the Liberty
lot and, about o'clock, the participants
began to assemble there. Soon the
lot was filled with characterized long
haired men and short haired women,
pail bearers representing the chief par
Elephants on the prOhibitionists' side OF
the question. The rooster and hen ,
that made those rotten eggs were also
represented. "Jack Evans" was TO have
been represented but unfortunately the
party who was to have taken that char
acter got into an alteration with some
one else and was laid up for repairs
when he should have been at his post.
All the characters were fairly represent
ed, but young Graebner's impersonation
of this "lady doctor" was immense, and
it was difficult to recognize the differ
ence between the real and imitation.
After considerable delay the wierd
and molly procession started OIL.
First came the Fashion band, then fol-
lowed BergstrJm & Gray's beautiful
hearse, in which was an illuminated cOf-
fin supposed to contain the unfortunate
prohibition babes remains. The pail
bearers walked at the side Of the hearse.
Then came hand organ mounted upon
al express wagon, citizens on foot with
torches and transparencies and in hacks
and wagons, long haired men and short
haired women, etc, etc, presenting
long Illuminated procession. At yari-
GUS points rockets were sent up, there
was red fire illumination, and much
cheering. After parading the streets
the procession returned TO Liberty lot,
the coffin was taken out and placed
upon the platform, and Mr..
W. S. Messmer, the orator for
the evening, made the following
Friends! COuntTymen!! Fellow.Sold'eT y!
aud you also who mournl!!!
1t Is meet at all times that we pay respect
10 the memory of the illustriOus dead be they
friends or be they foes.
We have the warrant OF antiquity and the
authority of all ages for the solemn act OF this
hour. We are met to pay our humble tribute
TO the memory of no common enemy, but to
this distinguished dead, who in the ceTements
of the grave awaits the solemn hour of his
sculpture. Beneath the kindly skies of this
dear land-under the star-gemmed canopy of
heavens own fields of blue we pay on this re-
membered spot at shut of summer day these
solemn obseQuies. 1t is in cOnsOnance with the
eternal fitness of things-that, on this tented
A II. NIA n 81
surged in a conflict that engulfed state, and
were our starry banner in defiance waved its
| silken folds here where the grandest victory
of this immortal struggle was achieved and
| all ms Wanted pride of power was humbled
| in the dust-it Is fitting | say that here and
now, at this hour and in this presence, we
sOlemnly bury our dead enemy with silent
| rites and funeral train in which, to do your
| bidding, come myself as mOurner.
| We come not in the pride and pOmp of an
ungenerous triumph to exut over the ashes
| of a fallen foe. We are come with kindly
| hands and feeling hearts, and reverGnt mien
| TO bear our part with Borrowing friends
| in this their last sad office. And as here
| tonight, under the holy hush of these watch
ing stars which break not their evcrlaSt
| ing silences, you lay your dear dead down our
hearts are sore and sad for you Aye! sore
and sad, albeit the strong one whom you
| mourn was by our hands laid low. 1t was
| not IN anger, ye mourning ones! 1t was not
| in anger but in the stern relentlessnCss of
duty that we struck the fatal blow which
| brought your idol down o dust and laid his
glory low But even while you weep, we are
| not unmindful of the Hope which springs eter-
nal in the human breast. a hone which. like
| the silver lining on the rim OF lnky cloud, or
| the evening bow of promise spanning the Skies
| lights up the darkness of this hour and turns
| your tear-stained faces toward the orient
| night of grief. We know that in that
| hope ye fOndly dream that this dead clay
shall live again. This hope, alas we cannot =,
do not dare NOT share. and tlOnph the hid
| ding seems ungraciOus, we counsel you. not
| in anger, but in kindness-we counsel you to
| give that hope no life. Believe me. friends,
| in this sad hour 'twere wise and well to look
your last Onthis dead face, and deceive your
selves with no false prophecies of resurrec-
| ton.
We mourning ones! Permit the words of
wisdom, as also the words of consolation.
| They may seem affective; but Affections,
which for the present are not joyous, but
| grievous, do yield fruits of peace to those who
are exercised thereby.
When yOnder seepless sentinels, which
| make their endless rOnnds upon the parapets
of space were keeping watch and ward upon
the aerial battlements l entered the house OF
mourning in which were these stricken ones
| The shut of day had closed out sound and
sense. | sat me down unbidden in the silence
| The very air was rcdOent with funereal OdOrs.
| The atmosphere of the death chamber was
gloom. Grief sat enthTOned on every face as
on monument. And yet, beneath that grief
there seemed to play lambert flame as sum
mer lightning plays in summer sultTinCss be
hind low lying clouds upon the rim of far of
horizons. The phOSphOreSCent light in those
sad faces seemed the subtle play of unseen
fires below the horizon of speech and feeling.
! marveled much and waited. Vision grew to
pierce the all prevailing gloom, and as the UNI
seen came to sight ! read upon the forehead
of the sheeted dead in CHASTITY weird and faint
neutrality-suspicious. BABY is NOT DEAD, BUT
SLEEPING"
Twas then ! sensed the horror of that
hope which wrought so strangely on the faces
of those mourning ones. And then | knew
that this dear land no more should be at peace
until the very hope of life for this dead clay
should be clean gone from among them for
ever. Then passed out over the threshold of
that chamber of horrors, under the silent
stars, and stood in the streets of nOiselcss.
sleeping, dreamless city. The hours passed
in pensIve thoughtfulness. Weared in feet !
retired TO my own secret place and pOred over
the volume of the life of the man who lies be-
fore me. dead. The night stars paled to morn
ing's ruddy glow before my task was done
had lived volumes of history in Il few short
hours, and the secrets of ages of Cypress on
were unrOlled before me as IA scroll.
Then knew | mine enemy. ! saw
that this rcputed Texas baby. born in
such sweet Inconsistencies Of babyhUOd, was
the lineal descendant of expressions that
were as old as time itself That the soul of all
injustices was IN that baby form. ! traced its
lineage to the days of Lucfer when the morn
ing stars sang together.
| found that it was conceived in lust of
power, born in uncharitableness, baptized in
the waters OF priestly prescriptions, and being
handled on the lap of tyranny had been
sucked on the life blood of civil and political
| liberties. ! saw il nhOary with the froSts of
| ages when Grecian civilization was in its
| cradle. Its blighting hand was laid on the do
nj haE .,V..g v.AFNl